A native of Iraq, Dr. Ala Alwan graduated in medicine from the University of Alexandria, Egypt, and has postgraduate qualifications from the United Kingdom. He has worked in clinical and academic medicine and public health and was minister of health in the government of Iraq from 2003 to 2005. Prior to his current role as regional director of the Eastern Mediterranean region of the World Health Organization, Dr. Alwan was assistant director-general for noncommunicable diseases and mental health at WHO.